The term knock down is used to describe an assembly comprised of components which are packaged and shipped in unassembled form for assembly by the ultimate purchaser. The advantages of this type of assembly are the substantial reduction in the size of the packaging required with the consequent savings in storage or freight costs and the elimination of the labor costs involved in the final assembly. A disadvantage, however, of many forms of knock down assemblies is that the components cannot be assembled by the purchaser in a manner which achieves a rigid, stable construction having an attractive appearance or finished look.
Many attempts have been made to overcome this disadvantage. Knock down assemblies have been made utilizing keys, wedges, mechanical fasteners, and the like to join the components together. None provides the simplicity of assembly nor offers the versatility and "finished" attractiveness of the modular units and assemblies made in accordance with the present invention.
An important feature of the present invention is the provision of an improved means for releasably interconnecting the components of the knock down modular units and assemblies of units to form a rigid, stable construction without the use of mechanical fasteners such as screws or the like. The interconnecting means permits development of a considerable number of units and assemblies sufficient to meet the needs of any purchaser.